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Steffen Schackinger

Modulated Delay

TonePrint for Flashback Delay

Modulated Delay TonePrint by Steffen Schackinger

This sound was actually built on top of Steffen's basic delay TonePrint. He realy liked this sound, and it really inspired him, but it didn't really classify as a basic delay. He loved it so much however that he asked we saved it anyway and share it with you. It is a tape-like delay with some tri-chorus added for modulation. Recommended settings: Set all knobs to 12 o'clock for the standard TonePrint and then adjust to taste.

About

TC: Who inspired you over the years when you were creating your own personal guitar tone?
Steffen Schackinger: With regards to tone there are many inspirational musicians that comes to mind. From Hendrix, Mark Knopfler, Clapton and David Gilmour to Eric Johnson and Satch. They each have their own tonal, as well as musical expression, and all in some ways contributed to the creation of my own tone.

TC: What are the main ingredients in your tone in terms of effects (e.g. chorus, flanger, delay, etc)?
Steffen Schackinger: Live I use a very clean tone and add pedals when needed. Besides a slight amount of reverb I primarily use at least 2 overdrives/distortions, alone and in combination, experimenting with the order of them etc. For cleans I like a slight amount of Chorus, sometimes with delay added. When I use delay on leads, I go for a subtle delay, not really something you would notice, but you could definately hear something was missing if it wasn't there! When playing very melodic stuff I sometimes use a delay with the mix level set higher. I DID grow up in the 80s you know..

TC: Have you ever been so inspired by a tone you created that you ended up writing a tune based on ideas triggered by that specific tone?
Steffen Schackinger: Yeah, one of the songs on ElectriGuitartistry (Perfect Waves), was actually "born" out of the inspiration of a clean sound with reverb and a loud delay. The repetetitive nature of this delay inspired me when writing this song.

TC: Do you work on developing your tone continuously, or do you feel that you have found a fundamental tone that will last throughout your career?
Steffen Schackinger: I've reached the point where I "repair" when something doesn't sound or feel "right". Like so many other musicians, I've been searching for ages, realizing that it's ultimately songwriting skills that matters. I wouldn't say "It's ALL in the fingers", but most of it definitely is. Good sounding tone/gear is essentiel in the sense that it can make you feel good, relaxed when playing, and very importantly inspire you to create good music. Those are, in my opinion, some of the important reasons for searching for the "right" gear. Man, if I wanted everything to sound exactly like I wanted and perfect all the time I would never have the time to compose and play! For me it's a combination of ears and fingers - it has to sound good and feel right. That's it.

TC: What inspired you when you created your TonePrint(s)?
Steffen Schackinger: I liked the "feel"/response from the delay pedal, which kind of gave the possibility of shaping the tones similar to an old tape echo but with a modern twist. I do like a lot of old pedals and the "karma" that comes along with these, but at the same time I'm very aware that I do not live and play in the 70s, but 40 years later. I am able to get a classic sound combined with the features of modern day.

TC: You had access to a lot of different parameters that you could tweak. Did any new ideas for future tones pop up in the process?
Steffen Schackinger: Yeah, I would definately experiment a lot and fine-tune the different parameters to achieve new sounds. The ability to "overdo" the effects mix-parameter is one of many things that would make sense when experimenting on my new album.

TC: Normally, do you prefer having access to many parameters, or do you like simple pedals with just a few knobs better?
Steffen Schackinger: Of course, when on stage, I like it to be simple. I prefer not having to twist anything at all once I start playing, that takes away my focus!

TC: How come you signed up for creating your own personal TonePrint(s)?
Steffen Schackinger: Like other players, I have a personal taste in sound. Now this does not mean I dislike all other stuff/tones out there! There are so many great sounding musicians, but the sound of, lets say a pedal, has to "fit" with your own musical expression and feel right - it means a lot to me, to be able to share my thoughts and opinions on this by making TonePrints that, hopefully, can inspire a new generation of musicians.

TC: In your opinion, what is the single coolest thing about TonePrints?
Steffen Schackinger: Definitely the ability to shape and fine-tune the products in a very detailed way and the fact that people can gain insights on the musical taste of top-level players via a pedal.